title: Eurasian blackbird predated by wild Rhinopithecus roxellana in the Qinling Mountains, China.
abstract: Although there are some reports that have described primates eating animals, it is unknown whether predation on vertebrates exists in herbivorous leaf-eating primates. We have witnessed firsthand wild Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) preying on and consuming Eurasian blackbirds (Turdus meruld) in the Qinling Mountains of China. This event suggests that R. roxellana, which has previously been described as a herbivorous leaf-eating primate, may be partially carnivorous and the correct classification of this species would be omnivorous. Furthermore, food-share behavior among higher-ranked members occurs in a one-male unit when vertebrate prey is hunted by this species.
authors.affiliation: College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an, China Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Dapeng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xiaowei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Baoguo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li